Broken Sword: creator interview

Broken Sword blends traditional gameplay with a modern twist. We talk to its
creators Charles Cecil and Dave Gibbons.

There was a time, not too long ago, when video games were not the pyrotechnic lightshows they are today. The technical wizardry of the current hardware allows for some fantastic, immersive experiences that pull you into their world with an intoxicating blend of high-resolution visuals and rich surround sound.

In the 1990s, however, things had to be a little more subtle, when story and characterisation were king: the era of the point-and-click adventure game.

A genre plump with bewitching tales and befuddling puzzles, the adventure game was a market led by US giant LucasArts and one other: Hull-based Revolution Software.

In 1996, Revolution released the marvellous Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars, a tale that followed the Parisian adventures of American George Stobart and French photojournalist, Nicole Collard.

Thirteen years later, the game is getting a director’s cut, to be released on Nintendo’s Wii and DS, the consoles housing an adventure game revival.

"The success of Wii and DS took everybody by surprise and has created a new market," says director Charles Cecil.

"So, when I saw a petition for Broken Sword to appear on DS, it got me thinking. But what I didn’t want to do was to do a cheap port. It was something we wanted to do seriously. Both in terms of the translation and making sure there were additional features. Because, ultimately, we didn’t want to alienate our fans, we wanted our fans to feel that this was something really special."

The new version of Broken Sword will feature enhanced controls to take advantage of the host platforms, a new prologue that fills out the haughty yet beautiful Nico’s back story, new puzzles and new artwork, drawn by revered comic-book artist, Dave Gibbons; most famous for his work on the groundbreaking graphic novel, Watchmen.

"It’s an interesting challenge," says Gibbons. "What we wanted to do was still have this great gameplay and intellectual puzzles, but also heighten the emotion as well, which people always love in a good story and a good game. So we went to a lot of trouble to give the character very evocative facial expressions. It’s very interesting for me, as most of my work is static image, but with this we had the advantage of animation and reaction."

The key to any good adventure game is an interesting narrative and puzzles interwoven into the story’s fabric. Broken Sword’s engrossing tale of conspiracy and murder has already stood the test of time, largely in part to two of the most endearing characters in gaming history: Nico and protagonist George, a slightly foppish American tourist in a green sports jacket.

"I’m not a big games player," admits Gibbons. "But if you’re going to identify with the characters you need to know, like and understand these characters. I think with George and Nico, they’re not your stereotypical hero and heroine. They’re quirky and they do unexpected things. George isn’t always strong – he can be a bit doubtful. I think they’re characters you like to identify with and you wouldn’t mind being in that situation, rather than some faceless automaton."

As George and Nico come closer to the truth, there will be many brainteasers along the way. With the great success of DS title Professor Layton and the Curious Village paving the way, Cecil hopes that the adventure game is back in a big way, appealing to old fans and the new market that has arisen due to Nintendo.

"We hope the adventure game is ideal for that new market," says Cecil. "As it was in the beginning, back in the Eighties when a lot of so-called ‘casual’ gamers used to play adventures. They got very alienated when gaming went 3D and visceral, requiring dexterity with complex controls. In this game, the controls are straightforward. So it’s easy to play, but hard to solve."

The return of Broken Sword and Revolution is a glorious harbinger of the adventure game renaissance. Shadow of the Templars, with its sumptuous art and characterisation embodies all that is great about a type of game that effortlessly straddles a line between the so-called hard-core and casual markets. When the game launches in March, fans old and new will welcome a series, and a genre, that has been in the shadows for too long. The adventure game is back. Cherish it.

‘Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars (Director’s Cut)’ is released on Wii and DS, March 27